The primary functions of this shared resource are to manage the Cancer Cell Line Repository and to provide essential tissue culture support to cancer researchers. The facility provides shared tissue culture areas that are well equipped and maintained. Cancer cell lines are cultured and made available to investigators as either growing or frozen cell stocks. Frozen cell stocks are replenished as required. DNA fingerprinting of cell lines is used as quality control measure. The cancer cell line repository is managed through a complete inventory system. The individual cell lines of the repository are described in a computer database. A number of tissue culture related services are offered, including mycoplasma testing, helper virus rescue assays, processing of blood samples for genetic screening, charcoal stripping of calf serum, cell culture, cell freezing, DNA fingerprinting of cell lines, and growth curve analysis of new lots of both calf serum and fetal calf serum. The production of primary cell lines from normal breast tissue and from breast cancer primary or metastatic tumors is a developing service. The Tissue Culture Shared Resource is used by members of all of the programs of the CCSG, and it interacts with five of the other eight shared resources. Over 82% of the usage of the shared resource in the past year was by -reviewed projects of Cancer Center members.